Who is MKBHD, tech YouTuber on TIME's AI influentials list?
Marques Brownlee, a prominent American tech YouTuber and national frisbee player, has been recognized by TIME magazine as one of the top 100 significant figures in artificial intelligence (AI) for 2024. Known online as MKBHD, Brownlee is an alumnus of the Stevens Institute of Technology and was included in Forbes's Under 30 list in 2021. He has gained recognition for his insightful interviews with tech industry leaders such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Tim Cook, and Mark Zuckerberg.
Critical stance on advanced tech
Brownlee has gained notoriety as a vocal critic of advanced technology, particularly after the launch of the Humane Ai Pin and Rabbit r1. These devices were designed to challenge traditional views on smartphones. In April 2024, he described these products to his audience of over 19 million as "the new worst product I've ever reviewed" and "barely reviewable," citing underdeveloped features and poor battery life.
Use of AI in content creation
Despite facing criticism for his harsh reviews, Brownlee defended his stance, emphasizing the importance of honesty with his audience. He frequently uses AI to help generate video ideas and edit thumbnails. In a video discussing OpenAI's Sora in February 2024, he pondered over the future implications of such technology. However, OpenAI has not confirmed whether Sora was trained using content from YouTube or not.
Vision for future content creation
Brownlee expressed discomfort with the idea of his content being used without consent to train AI models, likening it to unwillingly donating material. However, he also acknowledged a level of acceptance toward this practice. He envisions a future where creators are compensated by AI engineers for using their videos, similar to how YouTubers earn a share of ad revenue from the platform.
Accolades and achievements
Brownlee's YouTube channel, MKBHD, is dedicated to tech reviews covering a wide range of gadgets from video games to drones and smartphones. He has been lauded by former Google senior vice president Vic Gundotra as "the best technology reviewer on the planet right now." In 2018, he was honored with the "Creator of the Decade" title at the 10th Annual Shorty Awards.
